I do not care 1902

Frantisek Kupka made this drawing, "I do not care," probably around the turn of the century with ink and crayon. The artist’s hand is evident in the frenetic cross-hatching, giving the impression of a sketch, a study, or even a caricature. The marks are a mix of tight and loose, a kind of organized chaos. The scrawled political slogans daubed in the background seem to vibrate off the surface. But it’s the textures that really grab me, especially in the way Kupka renders the robes of the seated figure. You can almost feel the weight and drape of the fabric. The color palette is earthy with browns and reds, and this adds to the feeling of warmth, offset with bright, almost aggressive, bursts of pure color. The birds seem to be escaping out of the flat plane of the image, becoming 3D objects. Kupka was a complex artist. You can see echoes of Daumier in his style, but with a radical, almost punk-like energy. His work reminds us that art is always a conversation, an ongoing dialogue across time.